[soul food] blending in

Yesterday Eric dragged me away from the computer for something I just had to see (Well, I'm working... but okay.) He took me out to the backyard and pointed out this little guy, just chillin' in a notch on our tree. If you know about my inexplicable love for frogs, you know how exciting this was to me. I'm sure he did not appreciate me petting his rubbery little back and picking him up to hold him, but he was just so cute I couldn't stand it. It was fascinating to me how well he blended in with the tree--I mean, I know that a frog's coloring is a defense mechanism specifically to help it blend like that, but he was otherwise fully exposed. He jumped on my shoulder and sat there for a minute, and when I picked him up to put him back in the tree, I noticed that the undersides of his back legs were bright yellow--so cool! This dude was mostly various shades of brown and gray, but tucked underneath was a little splash of color!
Immediately my mind drifted to how I am a lot like this frog. (I can't help it--I'm an English major. I'm trained to think in symbolism and metaphors.) I don't know about you, but I'm one of those people who is always trying to blend in. I've never enjoyed being the center of attention, and I just want to fit in with everyone around me. With that sort of mentality, sometimes I tuck myself into my comfort zone a little too well, and it takes someone coming along and shaking up my world to remind me that those splashes of color in my personality are what make me special.

So if you're like me, then this is for both of us: don't hide among everyone else. Don't get comfortable blending in. You'll rob the world of your beauty.